World War II. The Pacific Theater

Transcription

1 World War II The Pacific Theater

2 Attack on Pearl Harbor December 7 th, 1941

3 Pearl Harbor Why Pearl Harbor? Have there been similar attacks on the U.S.?

4 Pearl Harbor

5 Japanese Plan Knew they could not win long, drawn-out war Thought of the U.S. as weak, hoped to hit them hard and force a quick surrender Hoped to eliminate U.S. Pacific fleet as a threat

6 Battle Plan

7 Battle Plan Japanese targets 1 st wave Airfields and Battleships 2 nd wave Other ships and shipyard facilities

8 U.S. Preparation Events that suggested an attack 3:42 Submarine periscope spotted 6:45 USS Ward attacks midget submarine 7:02 Radar station spots unidentified aircraft 7:20 U.S. bombers expected in the morning 7:33 Warning message reaches civilian telegraph station 7:40 1 st wave of Japanese planes reaches Oahu 7:49 Japanese Aerial Commander gives attack order

9 U.S. Preparations Japanese diplomats continued peace talks with U.S. while attack being planned Several messages intercepted attack expected, but expected in the Pacific Attack was on Sunday, U.S. still in peacetime Most sailors, pilots, etc. at church Ammunition was locked in storage per peacetime regulations Aircraft parked wingtip to wingtip No torpedo nets protecting harbor believed harbor was too shallow for submarines Most initially thought it was a drill, until the bullets and bombs started falling

10 Pearl Harbor Conspiracy FDR Mother of all Conspiracies Many historians and conspiracy theorists believe Pres. Roosevelt knew of the attack on Pearl Harbor and allowed it to happen to bring the U.S. into war. Claims Roosevelt had promised that he would not go to war unless attacked. Knew that Germany would not attack first because Hitler recognized the effect it would have. If Japan attacked, Germany would declare war, allowing FDR to do so. Roosevelt labeled as a traitor.

11 Japanese Attack 5 midget submarines attempted to enter Pearl Harbor None made successful attacks 2 crew per sub/1 Japanese was captured Attacked in Two Waves First Wave 183 planes Second Wave 171 planes Third Wave was planned but not carried out because the risk was considered too great

12 Aftermath American 5 battleships sunk, 3 damaged 2 destroyers sunk, 1 damaged 1 other ship sunk, 3 damaged 3 cruisers damaged 188 aircraft destroyed, 155 damaged 2,345 military, 57 civilians killed 1,247 military, 35 civilian wounded Japanese All 5 midget subs lost (4 sunk, 1 run aground) 27 aircraft lost 55 airmen, 9 submariners killed, 1 captured

13 Cont. Missed targets Oil tanks in Hawaii U.S. Aircraft carriers Had the Japanese hit these, they could have effectively removed the entire U.S. Navy from the Pacific

14 Effects on America December 8 U.S. and Britain declare war on Japan December 11 Germany and Italy declare war on U.S Enraged many Americans Ended Isolationist feelings Led thousands of young men to enlist in the armed forces, many who lied about their age to be able to enlist.

15 Japanese take off

16 U.S.S. Arizona

17 Other damaged/destroyed ships

18

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20 8:54 a.m.

21 10:00 a.m. Japanese pilots plead to a 3 rd strike they are denied.

22 Losses from Pearl Harbor Personnel Killed United States Japan Navy Marine Corps 109 Army 233 Civilian 48 Personnel Wounded United States Japan Navy 710 Unknown Marine Corps 69 Army 364 Civilian 35

23 Losses from Pearl Harbor Ships United States Japan Sunk or beached 12 5 Damaged 9 Aircraft Destroyed Damaged

24 Pearl Harbor Attack

25 Remember Pearl Harbor!

26 America How does the country respond?

27 Learning Objectives Comprehend the political and economic forces that led Japan to strike at Pearl Harbor and the Far East. OIL Comprehend the Japanese strategy for an early victory and their concept of the postwar Pacific power balance. Comprehend the impact of Pearl Harbor and the subsequent Battles of Coral Sea and Midway on the transformation of the aircraft carrier's role in naval warfare. Know the significant highlights of the evolution of US operational strategy in the Pacific, including major battles or campaigns and instances where strategy was flawed or ambiguous. Know the strategic significance of the employment and refinement of amphibious landing tactics by the US Navy and US Marine Corps. Comprehend the reasons the geopolitical world order was changed as a result of Japan s actions in striking at the Western powers in 1941.

28 Background Information Japanese-American Relations tense: Japan challenged America s Open Door policy by attacking Manchuria in In 1937, Japanese expansion in China resulted in attack on American gunboat, the Panay, by Japanese aircraft. Roosevelt adopted economic sanctions leading to an oil embargo by Americans, British and Dutch (July 1941)

29 Japan s Strategic Objectives Seize critical natural resource areas Establish defensive perimeter Sue for peace

30 Defeating the Japanese America s Secret Weapon?

31 Japanese Possessions 6 December 1941

32 The Philippines Initial strike on 8 December 1941 destroys U.S. aircraft General Douglas MacArthur evacuates Manila Retreats to Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor Island 12 March - MacArthur evacuates with family to Australia under orders from FDR in a Navy patrol boat - I shall return General Jonathan M. Wainwright - Surrender of U.S. and Filipino forces on 6 May 1942 leads to the Bataan Death March Filipino resistance against Japanese occupation continues

33 Continued Japanese Attacks Malay Peninsula attacked - December 1941 British battleships HMS Repulse and Prince of Wales sunk 10 December 1941 Guam taken 10 December 1941 Wake Island First Invasion repulsed 8 December 1941 Taken 23 December 1941

34 Continued Japanese Attacks Hong Kong - 25 December 1941 Thailand, Philippines, Borneo invaded in December 1942 Singapore - 15 February 1942 Further attacks? Southwest Pacific: New Guinea and Australia Central Pacific and northern Pacific: Midway and Aleutian Islands

35 Continued Japanese Advance Burma Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) - Southern Resources Area Rich in oil ABDA naval forces (Australia-Britain-Dutch-American) Defeated at the Battle of the Java Sea - 27 February 1942 Now the Japanese had all of the oil they needed Provided they could keep their SLOC open

36 Japanese Possessions 1 August 1942

37 Admiral Isoruko Yamamoto Arguing against war: I will run wild for six months or a year, but I have no confidence in the outcome in the second and third years After Pearl Harbor: "A military man can scarcely pride himself on having 'smitten a sleeping enemy; it is more a matter of shame, simply, for the one smitten. I would rather you made your appraisal after seeing what the enemy does, since it is certain that, angered and outraged, he will soon launch a determined counterattack." Concerning Success against the US: "I can run wild for six months after that, I have no expectation of success."

38 Doolittle s Raid 18 April 1942

39 U.S. Air Raid on Tokyo April 1942 Halsey commands Task Force 16 Hornet and Enterprise Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle - B-25 Mitchells Army Air Corps bombers allow greater range Unable to return to land on carriers China used as landing area Early launch caused by sighting by Japanese pickets Increase in American morale FDR: Attack was launched from Shangri-La Erases Japanese resistance to Yamamoto s Midway plan

40 Takeoff 18 April 1942

41 USS Hornet 18 April 1942

42 Battle of the Coral Sea 4 8 May 1942

43 Battle of the Coral Sea Japanese Objectives: Extend defensive perimeter (in response to Doolittle raid) Capture Port Moresby Extend hold over Solomon Islands Isolate Australia from the United States

44 Battle of the Coral Sea USS Lexington

45 Results of Coral Sea: Tactical Draw U.S. lost fleet carrier Lexington, destroyer Sims, oiler Neosho Fleet carrier Yorktown damaged Japanese light carrier Shoho sunk, very heavy aircraft losses Strategic victory for United States Stopped planned Japanese advance towards Australia Provided badly needed boost to U.S. morale

46 Battle of Midway 3 6 June 1942

47 Battle of Midway 3-6 June 1942

48 Battle of Midway Japanese Objectives: Capture Midway Use Midway to launch air strikes on Pearl Harbor Eliminate the bombing threat to the home islands Lure the remnants of the U.S. Pacific Fleet into battle and destroy it

49 Battle of Midway HIJM Hiryū At the battle of Midway

50 Yamamoto s objective: Battle of Midway 3-6 June 1942 Lure out and destroy U.S. carrier forces Carrier raid and invasion backed by entire Japanese Combined Fleet Yamamoto divides his forces Overly confident Two carriers and invasion force attack the Aleutians They STILL have an overwhelming force

51 U.S. Disadvantages and Advantages Heavily outnumbered Inferior aircraft susceptible to attacks by Japanese Zeros Airfield on Midway Island - unsinkable carrier Interception and decoding of Japanese communications Virtually complete information regarding Yamamoto's fleet, tactical disposition, and routes of approach. Radar

52 Results of Midway: Tactical Victory for United States U.S. lost fleet carrier Yorktown Japanese lost fleet carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, Hiryu and heavy cruiser Mikuma Heavy cruiser Mogami seriously damaged Strategic Victory for United States Ended Japanese naval supremacy in the Pacific Proved to be the turning point in the Pacific war Gave the United States the strategic initiative

53 Code Talkers Allows the U.S. to communicate openly and surprise the Japanese.

54 U.S. Fleet Submarine

55 Submarines in the Pacific Unrestricted Submarine Warfare Commences against Japan immediately following Pearl Harbor attack by order of CNO Admiral King. We shall never forget that it was our submarines that held the lines against the enemy while our fleets replaced losses and repaired wounds Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz,

56 Periscope View of Torpedoed Japanese Freighter

57 Torpedoed Japanese Warships

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59 Strategic Options in the Pacific Who should have primary responsibility? Army Navy & Marines Where should campaign take place? Central Pacific Southwest Pacific

60 Allied plan to recapture the Pacific

61 Pacific Theater of Operations Bonin Islands Feb 45 Okinawa Mar June 45 Mariana Islands July Aug 44 Hawaiian Islands Philippine Islands Jan Aug 45 Marshall Islands Feb 44 Palau Islands Sept 44 Admiralty Islands Feb 44 Solomon Islands Aug 42 Feb 43 Gilbert Islands Nov 43

62 August 1942

63 The Solomon Islands

64 Guadalcanal August 1942 February 1943

65 November 1943 Gilbe rt Island s

66 Tarawa November 1943

67 February 1944

68 Marshall Islands Eniwetok Roi-Namur Kwajalein

69 August 1944

70 Mariana and Palau Islands Saipan, Guam & Tinian Peleliu September & November 1944 Navajo codetalkers

71 Japanese on Saipan

72 US Bombers Reach Japan

73 Battle of Leyte Gulf October 1944

74 Philippine Campaign October 1944 August 1945

75 February 1945

76 Iwo Jima February 1945

77 Raising the Flag - Ira Hayes

78 August 1945

79 Okinawa March June 1945 Bunker Hill HMS Implacable Yamato

80 Operation Downfall

81 Operation Downfall Estimated US Casualties: Joint Chiefs of Staff Olympic 456,000 casualties, including 109,000 dead or missing after 90 days Coronet and combined total of 1,200,000 casualties, with 267,000 fatalities Nimitz s Staff 49,000 casualties in the first 30 days, including 5,000 at sea MacArthur s Staff 23,000 in the first 30 days and 125,000 after 120 days

82 Operation Downfall Estimated Japanese Casualties: five to ten million based on the assumption of large-scale participation by civilians in the defense of Japan One mobilized high school girl, Yukiko Kasai, found herself issued an awl and told, "Even killing one American soldier will do. You must aim for the abdomen."

83 Operation Downfall Nearly 500,000 Purple Heart medals were manufactured in anticipation of the casualties resulting from the invasion of Japan. To the present date, all the American military casualties of the sixty years following the end of World War II including the Korean and Vietnam Wars have not exceeded that number. In 2003, there were still 120,000 of these Purple Heart medals in stock. There are so many in surplus that combat units in Iraq and Afghanistan are able to keep Purple Hearts on-hand for immediate award to wounded soldiers on the field. Giangreco, Dennis M. "Are New Purple Hearts Being Manufactured to Meet the Demand?"; History News Network (December 1 (December 1, 2003).

84 Enola Gay

85 Bock s Car

86 The Decision Fat Man Nagasaki 6 August 1945 Little Boy Hiroshima 9 August 1945

87 VJ Day 2 September 1945